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WHOIS Lookup

Check domain registration details, registrar, creation and expiry dates, nameservers - and the full raw WHOIS record.

WHOIS Query

WHOIS Lookup Domain Registration Info

WHOIS (pronounced "who is") is a public database protocol that stores registration information about domain names, including the registrant's name and organisation, registrar details, domain creation date, expiry date, and nameserver configuration. It was first formally specified in RFC 812 in 1982 and has been maintained by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) since its founding in 1998. Every domain registered worldwide - whether .com, .in, .org, or a country-code TLD - generates a WHOIS record at the time of registration.

Why WHOIS Lookup Matters in India

India has over 5 million registered domain names as of 2024, with .in being the country-code TLD managed by NIXI (National Internet Exchange of India). WHOIS lookup is essential for businesses verifying domain ownership before acquisition, cybersecurity professionals investigating phishing domains, developers checking nameserver configurations, and journalists researching who owns a particular website. SEBI and RBI have also used WHOIS data to investigate fraudulent investment websites operating under misleading domain names.

Privacy and GDPR Impact on WHOIS

Since the introduction of GDPR in 2018, many registrars now mask registrant personal details using WHOIS privacy protection services. This tool queries live WHOIS data and displays all publicly available registration details - registrar, creation date, expiry, and nameservers - for any domain you enter.

WHOIS & Domain Questions

A WHOIS lookup shows the domain's registration record: registrar name (e.g. GoDaddy, BigRock, Namecheap); creation date (when the domain was first registered); expiry date (when it will expire if not renewed); last updated date; nameservers (which DNS servers manage the domain); domain status codes; and registrant contact details - though these are often redacted for privacy under GDPR. WHOIS is essential for checking domain ownership, verifying expiry dates and finding nameserver configurations.

Since May 2018, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) requires ICANN-accredited registrars to redact personal details (name, address, phone, email) for individual registrants. Most registrars now apply this globally. Additionally, WHOIS privacy services (offered by Indian registrars like BigRock, GoDaddy India) replace your personal details with the privacy service's contact. Business/company registrants in India may still have organisation names visible since these are not personal data under GDPR.

Look at the 'Registry Expiry Date' field in the WHOIS output. If the date has passed, the domain may be in: grace period (30 days after expiry - original registrant can still renew); redemption period (next 30 days - expensive redemption fee required); or pending delete (final 5 days before release for public registration). Status codes like 'pendingDelete' or 'redemptionPeriod' confirm it has expired. Set up auto-renewal with your registrar to avoid losing domains - many Indian businesses have lost valuable domains this way.

Common WHOIS status codes: clientTransferProhibited - domain cannot be transferred to another registrar (standard for new or recently transferred domains); clientUpdateProhibited - domain details cannot be modified; serverHold - domain suspended by registry (may not resolve); pendingDelete - expired domain in final deletion queue; ok - domain is in normal active state. Most active domains show 'clientTransferProhibited' as their primary status, which is normal and expected.

.IN domains are managed by NIXI (National Internet Exchange of India) through the .IN Registry. Register through NIXI-accredited registrars including BigRock, GoDaddy India, HostGator India and Hostinger. .IN is open for registration by anyone worldwide. Sub-domains: .co.in (commercial businesses), .org.in (non-profit), .net.in (network services), .edu.in (educational - restricted), .gov.in (Indian government - restricted). Indian domain prices typically range ₹600–₹1,500/year. .IN is a strong SEO signal for targeting Indian audiences on Google India.
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